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Laura Bush Opens Up About Crash
NYT ^ | 042810 | Anahad O'Conner

Posted on 04/28/2010 5:47:44 AM PDT by Artemis Webb

Laura Bush has finally opened up publicly about the mysterious car accident she had when she was 17, a crash that claimed the life of a high school friend on a dark country road in Midland, Tex.

In her new book, “Spoken From the Heart,” Mrs. Bush describes in vivid detail the circumstances surrounding the crash, which has haunted her for most of her adult life and which became the subject of questions and speculation when it was revealed during her husband’s first presidential run. A copy of the book, scheduled for release in early May, was obtained by The New York Times at a bookstore.

On several occasions in the book, Mrs. Bush admonishes her husband’s political adversaries for “calling him names,” and she pointedly rebuts criticism of some of his key decisions. She suggested that his highly criticized fly-over of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina was in the best interests of the victims and aid workers on the ground.

“He did not want one single life to be lost because someone was catering to the logistical requirements of a president,” she says about the Katrina fly-over. “He did not want his convoy of vehicles to block trucks delivering water or food or medical supplies, or to impede National Guardsmen from around the nation who were arriving to help.”

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: georgewbush; laurabush
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To: Artemis Webb

I wanted to read the article, but it’s from the NYSLIMES...so couldn’t do it.


41 posted on 04/28/2010 7:37:26 AM PDT by Freddd (CNN is down to Three Hundred Thousand viewers. But they worked for it.)
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To: lonestar
"She was seventeen ... you are judging from the perspective of a much older adult...even tho, a narrow-minded one."

Obviously your reading skills are lacking today. From my post #5:

"I think she handled it poorly but she was 17 at the time."

42 posted on 04/28/2010 7:41:21 AM PDT by Artemis Webb (DeMint 2012----Remember May 20th is "Everybody Draw Mohammed Day")
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To: Jim from C-Town
"How exactly was she supposed to handle it?"

Once again I would state that even she believes she handled it poorly. I'm not talking about what happened in the moments after the wreck. I'm talking about the aftermath. I would suggest you read the last four paragraphs of the article where she explains what she wishes she had done.

43 posted on 04/28/2010 7:46:13 AM PDT by Artemis Webb (DeMint 2012----Remember May 20th is "Everybody Draw Mohammed Day")
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To: lady lawyer
Before Katrina, everybody more or less understood that the feds only came in after the fact, and only if they were called in by the state and local governments.

Actually, I think that understanding went out the window when Clinton politicized Andrew in the '92 election.

44 posted on 04/28/2010 7:49:21 AM PDT by big black dog
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To: big black dog

True, Clinton used Andrew for political advantage. But Bush didn’t have to go along with it when he was in power. You never let the other side define the playing field.

He should have challenged the faulty assumptions underlying the other side’s arguments, and explained why the only sensible arrangement is for the state and local people — who are already in place — to be the first responders and have primary responsibilty. He should have hit hard and repeatedly on the fact that it was the Governor’s responsibility to ask for help, and she dragged her feet in doing so.

He could have done all that while still expressing sympathy for the people in New Orleans, and pointing out how the feds were performing in the way the system was set up to perform, and doing extra stuff besides.


45 posted on 04/28/2010 7:55:06 AM PDT by lady lawyer
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To: Artemis Webb
"I think she handled it poorly but she was 17 at the time."

I comprehended what you said; don't comprehend WHY you said it.

How would any "normal" 17 YO handle it any differently? Obviously she was quite tramatized by the entire thing...probably more than many 17 YO kids would be today.

I got the impression that her parents might have been over-protective of her---which is understandable, also. But not letting her go to his funeral?...seems to have added to the guilt in later years.

IIRC, she had dated or was dating him. He was not a stranger to her but a friend.

46 posted on 04/28/2010 8:32:14 AM PDT by lonestar (Better Obama picks his nose than our pockets!)
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To: lonestar; pnh102

WHY I said it was a response to Post #2 (that’s why #2 was to puh102). The problem here as I see it is that you believe even the most mild critism of Laura Bush is an attack. I simply agreed with HER OWN assessment that not reaching out to the victims family was a mistake. Frankly when I was 17 I wasn’t even as mature as she likely was which is why I pointed out that her age was a mitigating factor.

I’m not attacking Laura Bush! I’m simply agreeing with her that she should have reached out to the family. If they rejected her approach then that’s their problem but that is what she should have done and that is what she believes she should have done. If you don’t like it take it up with her.


47 posted on 04/28/2010 8:43:15 AM PDT by Artemis Webb (DeMint 2012----Remember May 20th is "Everybody Draw Mohammed Day")
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To: Artemis Webb

You seem to be mad about our exchange...and I never was.


48 posted on 04/28/2010 12:36:28 PM PDT by lonestar (Better Obama picks his nose than our pockets!)
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To: decimon

I’d guess the problem was learning that without asking, when every other delegation might be doing the same, because nobody wants to reveal that their leader might have been poisoned.


49 posted on 04/28/2010 1:38:36 PM PDT by CharlesWayneCT
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To: lonestar
"You seem to be mad about our exchange...and I never was."

What expression on my face makes you believe I was mad? Perhaps it was my tone of voice? At any rate you and I have been around here too long to get "mad" at the drop of a hat. I certainly was perturbed however that you kept asking questions that had obvious answers or had been answered before or addressed before. You pointed out that Laura Bush was only 17 when the crash happened even though the original statement I made that you were responding to said EXACTLY the same thing. You wondered out loud what brought my comments on in the first place when obviously I was responding to another FReepers statement/question in those comments. You appeared to ignore Laura Bush's own regrets over her handling of the issue instead focusing on my agreement with her.

Last of all you were the one who called me "narrow-minded" and gave the smart ass comment "You were there?" So you see I'm not mad at all. I think you're kind of stupid, but I'm not mad at you for being so. You seem bitter. I hope you have a better day tomorrow.

50 posted on 04/28/2010 10:40:15 PM PDT by Artemis Webb (DeMint 2012----Remember May 20th is "Everybody Draw Mohammed Day")
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To: Huck
I caused a major accident once. Closed the highway. Medic copters flying in. I was in my early 20s, two days before Christmas, on my way to the laundromat. I was inching out to make a left, you know how people inch out when the light is green, and if the traffic flow never stops, they wait until the light turns red and then scoot across the oncoming lane? That's what I did. 2 lanes stopped. One lane I didn't see coming, a flash of white, and then blammo. I felt horrible. I remember a lawyer friend of mine at the time said "That's why they call them accidents." Since then, I don't inch out on left turns anymore. I stop at the line, and I wait, and make sure traffic is clear and that I have the right of way.

Your lawyer is a fool if he told you that. An accident is getting hit by a meteor. You should have yielded and made sure it was clear for you to left turn before proceeding. It doesn't matter if you were at the limit line or rolled into the intersection to wait, you must yield to on-coming traffic...

The only way here to be found not at fault, is to have witnesses state that the on-coming vehicle blew the red light. But the fact is, you have to watch, because the red light means nothing in real life, and if ya left turn in front of an on coming vehicle, you could be dead in an instant.

Intersections are death traps. The grave yards are full of those that lost their lives in intersections.

51 posted on 04/28/2010 10:55:32 PM PDT by dragnet2
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To: Artemis Webb
I think you're kind of stupid, but I'm not mad at you for being so. You seem bitter.

The people who really know me will laugh at both your assertions

52 posted on 04/29/2010 7:16:27 AM PDT by lonestar (Better Obama picks his nose than our pockets!)
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To: Artemis Webb
I think you're kind of stupid, but I'm not mad at you for being so. You seem bitter.

The people who really know me will laugh at both your assertions.

What expression on my face makes you believe I was mad? Perhaps it was my tone of voice?

That is stupid!...and I'm still laughing at you!

53 posted on 04/29/2010 7:20:59 AM PDT by lonestar (Better Obama picks his nose than our pockets!)
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To: lonestar

I see you had to try twice to respond the way you wanted to. As far as “the people who really know you go” please tell your nurse hello when she comes to check on you.

#
Laura Bush Opens Up About Crash
Thursday, April 29, 2010 9:20:59 AM · 53 of 53
lonestar to Artemis Webb
I think you’re kind of stupid, but I’m not mad at you for being so. You seem bitter.

The people who really know me will laugh at both your assertions.

What expression on my face makes you believe I was mad? Perhaps it was my tone of voice?

That is stupid!...and I’m still laughing at you!
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#
Laura Bush Opens Up About Crash
Thursday, April 29, 2010 9:16:27 AM · 52 of 53
lonestar to Artemis Webb
I think you’re kind of stupid, but I’m not mad at you for being so. You seem bitter.

The people who really know me will laugh at both your assertions
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54 posted on 04/29/2010 7:27:57 AM PDT by Artemis Webb (DeMint 2012----Remember May 20th is "Everybody Draw Mohammed Day")
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To: Artemis Webb
The nurse came yesterday--literally. My last comment to you was interrupted when the Rx was delivered and again by the yard man--so I have no clue what the end product was.

I'm leaving shortly for an overnight with friends so I'll get back to you when I return.

Save your agressions for me---be nice to your wife and kids. You seem to have some anger management issues.

When it comes to algebra---I am stupid! Had grades to prove it!

55 posted on 04/29/2010 9:07:44 AM PDT by lonestar (Better Obama picks his nose than our pockets!)
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To: dragnet2
I don't think you can call getting hit by a meteor an accident. I'm calling it an accident as in a mistake or error. The best ballplayers make errors. Everyone makes errors. Hell, I'm sure even old Chet Atkins hit a clam once or twice.

And just because it's an accident doesn't mean you aren't at fault. You are. Obviously I wouldn't have put myself in front of a speeding car intentionally. And my driving was not impaired. 3 out of 4 lanes had come to a stop, I was hanging out there, and I simply didn't see the car coming in the fast lane. I saw a blur of white and that was that.

I was following the normal way people made a left there. I learned the hard way that it was incorrect procedure, and never made the same mistake again. I was at fault. And it was a mistake, or bad procedure, if you will.

56 posted on 05/02/2010 2:30:58 PM PDT by Huck (Q: How can you tell a party is in the majority? A: They're complaining about the fillibuster.)
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To: dragnet2

One more thought—Not to try to absolve myself. But when they teach you driving, they should spend more time on left turns than they do for parallel parking. Left turns are dangerous.


57 posted on 05/02/2010 2:33:11 PM PDT by Huck (Q: How can you tell a party is in the majority? A: They're complaining about the fillibuster.)
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To: Huck
don't think you can call getting hit by a meteor an accident.

You'd consider a meteor to the head intentional?

I'm calling it an accident as in a mistake or error. The best ballplayers make errors.

Ya but if a ball player makes a mistake, people don't go to the hospital or get buried.

And just because it's an accident doesn't mean you aren't at fault.

Wrong again. An accident is a deer running into the side of your vehicle...You're confusing neglect with an accident.

I simply didn't see the car coming in the fast lane. I saw a blur of white and that was that.

Clearly, you weren't paying attention. It's called neglect, and failure to yield...

I was at fault. And it was a mistake, or bad procedure, if you will.

Yes you were at fault....And again, no one said you did this "intentionally". It's called failure to yield, not paying attention and neglect....Not an "accident".

58 posted on 05/02/2010 4:24:26 PM PDT by dragnet2
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To: Huck
You bet. Left turns are simple. You yield to oncoming traffic before proceeding to turn left... Teach them intersections are death traps. Teach them cell phones when used while driving kill people, just like a firearm.

If I had the power, I run new drivers through a trip to the morgue and have everyone watch, "Red asphalt IV".

59 posted on 05/02/2010 4:28:10 PM PDT by dragnet2
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To: dragnet2
I wouldn't call hitting a deer an accident either. Again, to me, an accident involved an error. Say a driver, failing to notice a car in his blind spot, switches lanes, thinking the way is clear, and causes a collision. That's an accident. The driver made a mistake.

Asteroids and deer are just natural occurences, and there's nothing a driver can do sometimes to avoid it. In my case, I made a sketchy left turn, thinking all the lanes had stopped, when in fact one car was speeding through the red light. I got the summons because, making a left, I didn't have the right of way. The other driver wasn't smart to blow through a red light either. But that's fine. I understand the rule.

Anyway, accidents, in my view, involve an error.

60 posted on 05/03/2010 6:28:36 AM PDT by Huck (Q: How can you tell a party is in the majority? A: They're complaining about the fillibuster.)
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